An intense and unavoidable desire for a specific food is something we all can relate to. There are days when we just want to have a plate full of French fries or doughnuts or a large tub of ice-cream. This despite being fully aware that we are giving in to our cravings and nothing else.
Cravings can be a complex interplay of nutrient deficiencies, environmental factors, emotional needs and specific triggers, but not always limited to these factors. We all have a unique relationship with food, and different reasons can trigger our cravings. Sometimes it’s around specific tastes, such as sweet or savoury, and at other times it’s from emotions, environmental changes and stress.
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Cravings vary among women, men and children due to differences in hormonal fluctuations, psychological factors and lifestyle habits. “Every craving indicates a body response, and addressing it involves understanding what the body might be lacking or what emotional needs might be unmet,” says Miten Kakaiya, fitness coach and founder of Miten Says Fitness, an online fitness coaching platform.
By understanding what your cravings are indicating, you can address the underlying health issues and improve your overall wellbeing. Cravings can be common but their intensity and frequency different due to individual relationships with food. “Women crave more for sweets and carbs, men for savoury and protein-rich foods, and children for sweet and salty foods,” explains Kakaiya.
Cravings such as for chocolates, salty chips, sugary drinks or even red meat are mostly associated with nutritional deficiencies of some minerals or vitamins. Then, food often becomes a comfort factor, connected to feelings of happiness, sadness and anxiety.
“Chocolates are high in magnesium, and craving for it could indicate a deficiency in this mineral. The desire for salty food items, such as chips and wafers, might indicate a possible sodium or chloride deficiency. The need for these electrolytes can increase after sweating heavily or dehydration,” observes Kakaiya.
Sometimes when you crave for just a fruit juice or even a piece of cake, it could be for the sugar in it. Sugar cravings have been linked to the need for quick energy or deficiency in chromium, tryptophan or serotonin. At times, the weather triggers cravings, such as for warm soups or fritters in winter or for a refreshing drink in summer.
It’s important to address food cravings and find healthier alternatives; once you start understanding the root cause, it gets easy to find solutions. The key is to start by journaling your cravings and taking out time to understand what could have triggered it.
Following a balanced and nutritional diet, by including more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, lentils, nuts and seeds, staying hydrated by drinking at least 8-10 glasses of water daily, eating at regular intervals and not skipping meals, and limiting exposure to unhealthy food could be some possible answers to cravings. Avoiding stocking up on tempting snacks can control impulsive eating while being mindful of portion sizes can help resist the temptation to indulge in unhealthy foods.
Source: https://www.indiatoday.in/india-today-insight/story/eyeing-that-doughnut-what-our-food-cravings-indicate-2585701-2024-08-21?utm_source=pocket-newtab-en-intl